Education
J.D., University of Michigan Law School, 1986
M.B.A., Eli Broad College of Business of Michigan State University
A.B., high distinction, University of Michigan, 1983

William has extensive domestic and international experience in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, distribution arrangements, supply arrangements, supplier and customer workouts and bankruptcies, intellectual property arrangements, and general commercial arrangements and corporate matters. In addition, he has had substantial experience with respect to antitrust issues confronted by businesses and trade associations.

Prior to joining Clark Hill, William served for many years as vice president and general counsel of Johnson Controls' automotive operations in North and South America. Johnson Controls is a Fortune 100 company with operations throughout the world. While at Johnson Controls, William was responsible for all legal, governmental and environmental affairs of the company's largest business unit.

Prior to joining Johnson Controls, William was employed for 10 years at Chrysler Corporation and DaimlerChrysler AG, first as senior counsel within the company’s Office of the General Counsel, with responsibility for major aspects of the company’s international legal affairs, and then in senior positions within the company’s treasurer's office and its finance department, with responsibility for mergers and acquisitions and financial planning, respectively.

Automotive Experience
William’s experience in the automotive arena includes major transactions of the types described above, as well as broad experiences involving:

• Recall cost and warranty liability allocation disputes
• NHTSA regulations, investigations, and the TREAD Act
• Purchase order terms and conditions
• Directed supplier arrangements
• Product liability lawsuits

International Experience
With respect to international matters, William's experience includes:

• Acquisitions, divestitures, and joint ventures in Europe, Asia, Latin America, Canada and Mexico
• Establishment of Chrysler Corporation's worldwide network of distributors, dealers, and sales representatives, including major arrangements in Brazil, Argentina, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, The United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, and Japan
• Advice and counsel regarding export controls, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and anti-boycott laws.

William has written and spoken on a variety of topics, including: mergers & acquisitions, bankruptcy reorganizations, warranty cost allocation arrangements and disputes, U.S. Export Controls, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, U.S. antiboycott laws, the International and Inland Navigation Rules applicable to vessels at sea and on inland waters, the international distribution of goods, arbitration vs. litigation, the TREAD Act, and law department management.

William is a past board member of the professional editorial board of the International Lawyer, which is the quarterly publication of the American Bar Association's Section of International Law. He is a founding member of the International Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan, for which he also served as a council member and as chairperson of the Western European Law Committee. William was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to the Michigan District Export Council. He is also a member of the American Bar Association’s Admiralty and Maritime Law Committee.

William is Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Friends School in Detroit, a private Quaker day school, and a former board member of ORT America, Michigan Region, one of the world's largest vocational training organizations. He also currently serves as an Officer of the Ohio Naval Defense Force, and he is a member of the International Shipmasters' Association.

William graduated from the Honors College of the University of Michigan (A.B., 1983, with High Distinction and High Honors in Economics) and the University of Michigan Law School (J.D., 1986). He also earned an MBA from the Eli Broad College of Business of Michigan State University.